


Bitter/Sweet

by OwlEspresso



Category: RWBY
Genre: Abandonment, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, male reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 10:23:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14423388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwlEspresso/pseuds/OwlEspresso
Summary: In which Yang has abandonment issues after the Fall of Beacon, and you're there to pick her up again.





	Bitter/Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> This was fun to write. I like Yang and I don't think this part of her character has been explored enough.
> 
> My writing blog is [HERE](https://owlespresso.tumblr.com/).

Winter nights in patch, swaddled under blankets, giggling with Ruby while Dad told them funny stories. Starting bonfires in the backyard and toasting marshmallows, making s’mores.

Her heart full, smile so wide her cheeks hurt. Now, her arm is gone, wrapped in bandages that will never fill the gaping hole in her heart. Beacon is gone, and it’s taken fragments of her with it. Weiss, Pyrrha, Penny, Blake, you. Ruby is here, and so is Dad. But everything feels like it’s underwater, like it’s not even real.

The sun hangs in the sky but Yang hides away from it. She looks out of the window, gaze roaming over brown-green grass and barren trees. Old, knocked-down trunks that she used to play in, or hide in when Dad wanted her to do chores. Sometimes (all the time) she lays in bed and thinks about people come and gone.

You left immediately after the fall of Beacon, staying in the hazard zone to help Glynda try to repair the city and evacuate the citizens. The Grimm keep pouring in, so why are you even trying? Come back, come back to me. She gets letters from you, sometimes, but they’re never very long. Her weary eyes roam over the pages but she can never bring herself to reply.

“The recovery group has made the choice to completely evacuate the west part of the Hazard Zone.”

Normally, she doesn’t watch the news. But there’s nothing else on today, so she settled for turning on a random station and letting it be background noise. They just repeat the same bad news, over and over again. Though, it’s not like she has much else to do but sit here. The optimist in her, the woman she wishes she still was, cries out to take the new arm on the table and put it on. To go out into the world and wreck havoc among those who destroyed her. But she can’t. Instead, her eyes are glued to the television.

They’ve never mentioned the west part of the Hazard Zone. Not that she’s ever seen. It’s the part of the city that’s closest to the school.

“Huntsmen and huntresses say that the grimm are primarily focused on the school, so they won’t try to venture further into the city or the land surrounding it. On the scene, we have Azure Kretsky, interviewing one of the brave huntsmen.”

The screen flashes to apart of the ruined city. Although it’s only noon, the sunlight barely reaches the ground. Faint patches of sun could be seen illuminating the floors or spots of debris, but the lighting was dim. An elegant woman with pale, blue hair stands next to someone she recognizes, someone she’s been missing dearly. Yang’s eyes grow wide at the sight of you. You’re just as handsome as she remembers, but there’s a new weariness in your eyes, news scars. You’ve been out on the field as a legitimate huntsman, one of the few, advanced students they let stay in the line of fire.

She feels her throat tighten at the thought. What if you died and left her forever? She can’t stand it, can’t take it! Her fist tightened and she clutched the remote. Outside, birds chirp and the distant call of a raven echoes through the trees.

Weeks later, Ruby leaves. She doesn’t know what her sister is planning or why. But she knows that she’s not up to adventuring. She doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to fight, again. Her sleep is plagued with visions of fire and blood and a silver-red mask, gleaming at her in the dark. Ruby’s leaving hits her in the same way as Summer Rose’s death. She’s gone and Yang doesn’t know if she’ll ever be coming back. The thought makes her sick. How can she sit idly by while her baby sister goes to fight all of the demons in the world?

A week after Ruby’s departure, Yang’s prayers are answered. You’re coming come. You’re going to be here, safe, in her arms. Dad left a half-hour ago to meet you at the docks, claiming that he “wants to meet the prince charming that my princess loves so much!”. As corny as that line was, it made her smile and bashfully punch his shoulder. She’s so glad that you’re coming back, that you’re going to be here, with her. Her nightmares are plagued with images of your death. But there’s a part of her that hasn’t fixed the mess of feelings in her heart. It’s a writhing mass of doubt and paranoia and wanting to tell you that she loves you. But loving people scares her now.

Because so many have left her, never to return.

Yang sits in the living room, heart in her throat. She’s been like this for the past half-hour, waiting for you to come home. What if you’re not the same as you were? What if you’ve lost a limb? What if you got hurt and she wasn’t there to protect you?

Fortunately, before she sends herself into a panic attack, the door creaks open, shedding fresh sunlight into the dimmed house. You’re standing in the door frame, smiling wide. Like the past few months, it doesn’t feel real. But you’re walking into the house and towards her and the sound of your boots against the hardwood floor is very real. It’s so real that it makes her stand up and wrap her arm around you, shoving her face into your chest.

“Hey,” You murmur softly, cautiously, pulling back to greet her with a smile. There are tears welling up in the corners of her eyes and she realizes that she’s so glad to see you, but still so mad at you. And she shouldn’t be. She shouldn’t be, but she is and that hurts her. Her lips flatten into a straight line as she tries to hide it, but you notice and give a small frown, “Hey, hey. I know you’re happy to see me, but it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, okay? Everything is fine.”

“It’s not.” She says, and her voice sounds so much more broken than she intended it to be.

“It’s not? What’s wrong?” Your expression melts into one of incredible council. Your lips tug into a frown and your eyebrows furrow gently. Your hand rubs her back as she feels more tears roll down her cheeks.

“It’s just—I felt like you left me,” She sputters, trying to explain it clearly. You don’t mind, giving her all the time in the world, “I know you didn’t! I know you didn’t. You went back to help people but I can’t help it! My brain feels like you abandoned me because—because my mom did and Ruby’s mom did and Blake—” She pauses to take in a deep, shuddering breath, “It wasn’t Summer’s fault, she died during a mission but I couldn’t help it. Dad just shut down and stopped talking and cooking. It was so quiet in our house, just like it is now because Ruby isn’t here, anymore. Ruby left last week…” Her words died down into soft, pathetic sobs.

You remain silent in the wake of her dramatic outburst, and that scares her, too. What if you don’t like her anymore? What if you think she’s selfish? What if you leave again? Her mind races a mile a minute, so fast that it hurts. She leans down presses her head against your shoulder, clinging to your body. Don’t go. Please, don’t go.

A rush of warmth coursed through her body as you tighten your embrace. It’s a long moment before you actually say anything.

“It’s okay,” You soothe, and she almost breaks down again. It’s a bittersweet cocktail of emotions, but the warm affection is bubbling through the cracks. It overpowers the despair that’s been weighing her down for so long. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault, that you feel that way. But I’m not going anywhere. I’m sure Ruby had a reason for leaving. We can talk about it, later. We’ll figure everything out, I promise.” She doesn’t expect you to solve all her problems. No one can do that.

It takes her a few more minutes to settle down, but you don’t let go until she gently nudges your shoulders. Her eyes are red and puffy, face flushed. But there’s a smile curled onto her soft lips that tells you she’s feeling much better.

“You’re right,” Yang gives a slow sigh, shutting her eyes and opening them, “I’m gonna be honest. I’ve just been sitting around here and moping like a loser for the past, few months. But… I’m gonna get better. I’m gonna try. I think the whole arm thing… just snowballed and got my head messed up, too. And… I really, really missed you.” The blond averted her gaze for a short moment, before turning it back to you. “I should have told you this before—I’ve been kicking myself for it ever since you went back to Vale. But, I like you. More than a friend would. At first, I was scared of it. Because what if you left me, too?”

“But you underestimated me,” You pipe up, earning a surprised look from Yang. Another smile graces her soft features and she nods, “I like you, too, Yang. I planned to tell you after I’ve been here for a few days, but… this is just as good. Probably better.” You reach forward and take her hand, staring up into her violet eyes with rampant adoration.

“I did,” She confirms softly, “And I know that things are gonna be tough. I’m not gonna get better in a day. But I think… if you’re here, I can do just about anything.”


End file.
